1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image apparatus and a method, and more particularly to an image apparatus with batch scan and real time display and a method of the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In virtue of the prosperity of computer technology in the past few years, image process becomes more and more popular. Because of growth of science and technology, the mode of transmitting/receiving information has turned from simple written words into what is called the multimedia times. At the same time, multi-media signified that the delivering data contain words, images and so on. A variety of image processing devices has been generated for different requirements, and image processing devices include scanner, photostat, fax, digital camera and other image processing system etc.
With regard to an optical scanning device, it is a device for transferring a static image into digital data. A scanner is a device that converts a visible image such as a photograph, transparent slice or printed-paper into an electronic form for processing, saving, displaying or printing by a computer. In the prior art for scanning manner of scanners, a picture is placed on a scanner window. The scanners scan the picture by utilizing an image sensor from a transverse axis of an original picture and shift a belt vertically to scan the picture by a step motor. The scanners scan the picture and store the resultant image in a computer memory at last. Then, the image may be displayed upon a monitor. Consequently, general scanners that scan a picture often need several seconds and ten seconds at least that the time from the scanners starting to scan to the data transmitting back scanned image to the host device.
In light of scanning manners, scanning manners of scanners are divided into reflection type and transparence type. The scanner of reflection type comprises steps of placing a cold cathode fluorescent lamp as a light source among the scanner, projecting reflective light onto an opaque document such as a photograph, transforming a static image into digital data by receiving reflective light through an image sensor, and processing digital data by a personal computer further. The scanner of transparence type comprises steps of placing a cold cathode fluorescent lamp as a light source among the scanner, projecting transmissible light onto a transparent document such as a transparent slice, transforming a static image into digital data by receiving transmissible light through an image sensor, and processing digital data by a personal computer further.
In light of the scanner kinds, in general the scanner is divided into three types: handheld scanner, flatbed scanner and sheet-fed scanner. The first type is a handheld scanner that scans by a way of manual movement, wherein the scanning scope is littler, the scanning speed is slower, and the scanning quality is inferior. A flatbed scanner has higher resolution and larger scanning scope, but the drawbacks of the flatbed scanner are bulky volume and long scanning time. A sheet-fed scanner is an ADF (automatic document feeder) installed on a flatbed scanner, which scans the document rapidly by utilizing ADF. The only drawback of the scanner is that it cannot scan a whole book.
The dpi (dots per inch) is a unit of optical resolution for a scanner. If a high-resolution scan is performed by the machine, the scanning quality is better and the scanning time is longer. The digital images that derive from the scanner are displayed onto a display device by a display interface, wherein can pre-scan all pictures beforehand, save the data in memory, and then display those images sequentially. The disadvantages of this method are that the host device must have enough capacity of memory and the relatively increasing system cost. On the other hand, a method is provided for scanning one picture and displaying this picture immediately, which must wait for the scanning time. According to size and resolution of the picture, the scanning time often need several seconds and ten seconds at least that cannot display real time and merely waste time. Thus, it is imperative to develop a method and a system which reduces the time consuming scanning processes and thereby promotes the scanning efficiency without requiring the increase in size of a memory buffer.
Due to the above-mentioned reasons and the drawbacks that cannot convert a picture into electronic form by optical projecting device, it is imperative to develop a scanning device and a scanning method with synchronous scan and display in order to improve the drawbacks of the traditional projector. The objectives of the present invention are provided for promoting operating characteristic of the scanner, shortening the scanning time of the image and developing the efficiency of memory.